


The Holly and the Ivy

by suyari



Category: Almost Human
Genre: Gen, Scarves
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-24
Updated: 2013-12-24
Packaged: 2018-01-05 21:31:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 898
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1098806
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/suyari/pseuds/suyari
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Winter weather means keeping warm. It's a universal understanding - unless you're John Kennex. Luckily, where there's John, there's Dorian.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Holly and the Ivy

"Statistics show an increase in participation at an average of-"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! When did you start wearing a scarf?"

"Three weeks ago. Now's not the appropriate-"

John held up a hand. "Wait. Are you telling me you've been wearing a scarf for _weeks_ and I haven't noticed?"

Dorian's lips curved in what was not exactly a smirk, but was damn close enough in John's opinion. "There are plenty of things you don't notice, John."

"Granted." He flicked one end of the scarf with his finger. "But I'd like to think I'd notice a change like this in my partner."

One of Dorian's brows quirked upward. "What difference does a scarf make?"

"Do you even _need_ one?"

"Not for myself."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I find it comforts people when I make attempts to blend in."

John cocked his head, but couldn't find fault in the logic. "Where'd you get it?"

"I made it."

He choked on his coffee, waving away Dorian's attempt to assist him by patting his back. "You _knit_?!"

"My creator felt it would help to humanize us by giving us unique traits that would assist our transition into society."

"And somehow you got knitting."

"It is only one of seven unique traits that make me an individual." He actually smiled at the questioning look John knew was already on his face. "No. I will not tell you the other six."

"Does it involve hypnotizing children?"

His partner frowned, but it was a familiar expression.

"Well," he continued, as if he'd not just jeopardized an easy peace. He slapped Dorian on the back. "What other things can you knit?"

Dorian cocked his head, in a near mirrored image of John. "Do you have requests?" he replied, amused.

"Possibly," he countered with a grin.

"Detective Kennex!"

John turned, moving to address the younger officer. Now behind him, Dorian paused - he had a funny hypervigilant tendency toward people approaching his partner that they weren't exactly working on. John could feel him at his back. He allowed himself the indulgence of a brief moment of comfort and relief, before shoving it ruthlessly aside. It was true he felt safer with Dorian than he ever had with anyone, but, that had to make sense somewhere. Maybe some psychobabble explanation involving his brain's reaction to getting shot and the new symbiosis of his replacement limb. Whatever it was, he'd noticed it some time back, and did his best to studiously ignore it wherever possible. It had a tricky way of sneaking up on him though, so every now and then, he found it was simply best to indulge and move on.

Sipping his coffee, he nodded at the appropriate moments and toyed with the end of his scarf. After a moment he realized the officer was waiting. Zoning out never helped matters. Generally, it was of no consequence, as Dorian would step in and answer for him, directing the conversation back into a direction John was more familiar with. The fact that he hadn't, made John turn and look for him. He was startled to find his partner several feet away from where he'd last been, and surprised by how much it bothered him.

At his raised eyebrow and subsequent sip of coffee to ease his nerves the officer repeated, "I said, it must be handy to have a synth that can wear civvies."

The other brow rose.

The officer gestured at him.

John looked down at himself, but saw nothing out of the ordinary. When he looked back up in question, the officer gestured to their throat. "Must make keeping track of stuff easy."

He tugged on the end of the dark scarf and realized he hadn't been wearing one prior to their conversation. Turning to take in his partner again, he noted Dorian was leaning over the body, with a distinct lack of scarf.

"Yeah," he husked, writing the kid off in that moment and stalking over to his partner.

Dorian stood with the easy grace of too many articulated joints. "From what we can tell so far-"

John shook the end of the scarf at him. "How many, Dorian?"

"At present count?"

He nodded.

"Two hundred and seven."

He made an involuntary choking sound. "In three _weeks_?!"

"You keep losing them."

John snorted a laugh and tossed his cup at the trash can, satisfied at the sound of paper meeting metal. "Where are you even getting the materials?"

"Trade secret."

"Oh, come on!"

Dorian smiled and adjusted the scarf. "You should really pay more attention to your health. If you get sick, your body will automatically begin rejection of your leg and we'll be grounded."

"And here I thought you _cared_."

Dorian shrugged, but there was a flicker of something in his eyes that John had learned meant he was enjoying himself. "Do you have a color preference for the next one?"

"...you haven't put me in any obnoxious ones have you?"

"I was tempted," he admitted. "But, it's just as irritating, having to focus on the color during the crafting."

"My hero," John deadpanned.

"If I even made a hat, would you wear it?"

"Me? In a knit cap?" He made a face, hoping Dorian knew how likely an event _that_ would ever be.

"You're right," his partner replied, turning his attention back to the body. "After all, look at how much you loathed scarves."


End file.
